Wheel-flange lubricator.



WHEEL FLANGE LUBRIGATOR. APPLICATION FILED APB.. 19, 1910. 990,034, Patented Apr. 18, 1911.

l w l, 2 BHEBTB-BHEET 1Y 8 Pzzip' @my P. CONNIFF.

WHEEL FLANGE LUBRIUATOR.

l APPLICATION FILED APE. 19, 1910. 990,034, Patented Apr. 18, 1911.

i 2 SHBETSSHBBT 2.

@wf fw @my www lubricate the same and'reduce the wear upon UNITED STATES PATENT oEEIoE.

PHILIP CONNIFF, 0F WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO CHARLES M. HARRIS, 0F WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

WHEEL-FLANGE LUBRICATOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patenten Apr. 1s, y1911...

Application filed April 19, 1910. Serial No. 556,356.

T0 all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, PHILIP CoNNIrr. a citizen of the United States, residing at Washington, in theDistrict of Columbia, haveinvented new and useful Improvements in Wheel-Flange Lubricators, of' which the following is a specication.

This invention relates to means for lubricating the flanges of locomotive driving Wheels, ten'der wheels and car wheels of all kinds provided with flanges.

The lnain object` of the invention is to provide a device whereby a bar of solid lubricant may be held in contact with the face and edge of a wheel flange to e'fl'ectually the flange and heads of the rails in turning curves, ete., and also to reduce the objectionable noises resulting from the grinding contact of the surfaces.,

A further object of the invention is to provide a device of this character which will avoid lubrication of the tread surfaces of the Wheels and consequent slippage of the wheels on the rails, and which will hold the bar at the proper angle relative to the wheel for suchpurpose.

A still further object of the invention is t0 provide simple and effective spring-actuated means for feeding the vbar of lubricant forward, as it is consumed, and maintaining .it in contact with the flange, which means is adapted to permit the bar to yield under the lateral thrust of the' flange and is adjustable to vary its feeding pressure as Figure 1 1s a perspective view, showingthe device arranged for lubricating` the flange of one of the driving wheels of a locomotive. Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the same. Fig. 3 is a vertical transverse section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 4i, omitting the bracket. Fig. 4 is a vertical longitudinal section. Fig. 5

is a fragmentary longitudinal section, showing the dog .in released osition .to ermit removal ofthe follower rom the guideway of the casing. Fig. 6 is a vertical longitudipal section of a modified form of the invenion.

Referring to the drawings, l designates a bracket plate adapted for attachment to a suitable portion of the frame structure o r truck of a car and having an arm 2 extending outwardly at right angles therefrom. A sleeve or coupling member 3 is slidably mounted o'n said arm and adapted to be fixed in adjusted position by set-screws 4, said member being provided with a toothed head or disk 5 and an upstanding tubular portion 6, the bore of which communicates with an opening formed in the head ati one side of the sleeve. Adjustably connected with the said coupling member 3 is a lubricant support in the form of a preferably oblong rectangular box or casing 7 open lat each end and provided in .its bottom with a longitudinal guide slot 8. This box or easing is adapted to receive the bar of lubricant 9 which projects from the forward end thereof .to engage the face and edge of the fiange 10 of the wheel 11. The bar 9 is inclosed by a sheathing 12 of lead or other soft, malleable material capable of preventing disintegration of the bar from the pressure of the wheel and at the same time soft enoueh to' wear away with the bar to prevent injury to the flange of the wheel. The useof lead is preferred, as it also has a smoothing or lubricating effect. The sheath is provided wit-1| ratchet teeth 13, preferably at both the top and bottom thereo'fml The casing is provided at the top with a coupling head or member 11i conforming in shane to the head 5 of the member 3 and having its upper surface toothed to interlock with the teeth on the under side of said head 5, by which const-ru@ tion the casing may be adjusted laterally or horizontally tolie at any desired angle to the bracket arm, to properly dispose the lubricant for use. A stem 15 projects upwardly from the head 14 through the tubular portion 6 of the member 3 and is threaded to receive a clamping nut 16, whereby the coupling heads may be locked together to hold the casing in any desired position of adjustment.

Formed upon the -under side of the casing.

-ratchet teeth.

guide-way being open at each end and having in its bottom a longitudinal slot 18. A follower 19 is slidably mounted in the guideway and comprises a hollow or tubular body formed in its sides lwit-h longitudinal slots 20 receiving a cross pin 21. disposed at the rear of the guideway and' secured to the sides of said guideway. The forward end of the follower is provided with spaced ears 22 between which is pivotally mounted a bell crank ratchet dog or pawl 23, one of the arms ofvwhich forms a toothprojeetfing upwardly through the slot 8 into the casing to engagethe ratchet teeth upon the bottom of the sheath12. Inclosed within the follower is a coil spring 24 bearing at its rear end against a head 25 bearing against the pin 21, the opposite or forward end of the spring being engaged with a head 26 carrying a plunger 2 movable in an opening in the forward end of the follower` and engaging the other arm of the dog, thus, through the pressure of the spring, holding the dog in engagement with one of the The pin 21 serves as a stop and fixed abutment to prevent displacement of the head 25 at the rear of the czising, said pin permitting the follower to have rearward movement to the extent `of the length of the slots 20. The plunger is provided with a finger-piece 28 extending downwardly through and movable in the slot 18, whereby the follower may be moved rearwardly to draw the dog backward to permit it to be engaged with any of the teeth in rear of the tooth previously engaged thereby for the purpose of feeding the lubricant forward again, after the bar has been fed up to the limit by the spring when engaged with any particular rack tooth.

It will be observed that the construction described permits both the dog and follower to move backwardly under pressure upon the bar from the flange of the wheel when the latter shifts laterally in order to prevent possible injury to the bar from the thrust pressure. When the dog moves forward to its extreme limit lin the slot 8 it engages the forward end wall of said slot and thus prevents possible further .forward displacement of the follower. By, however, pulling the follower backward to withdraw the upper arm on the dog from 'engagement with saidf forward end wall, pressurev may be applied `to tlfielower arm of the dog to retract tb a plunger and swing the upper a rm of the dog downward through the slot 8 into the guideway, as illustrated in Fig. lWhcn the parts are so disposed, the follower and dog may be withdrawn through the open forward end of the guidevay for eonvenience in repairing and remuving the parts thereof when occasion requires.

lt will be apparent that by the use of a solid bar of lubricant Qiaelosed in a soft sheathing of the character described econ omy in the use of the lubricant, by preventing its too rapid wearing away and disintegration, is insured. By the use.. ofratehet teeth on both theupper and lower surfaces of the sheath, either side thereof 'may be disposed for use in connection with the dog. In applying a bar, it is simply slipped longitudinally into the casing from the rear and forced forward while the follower, is held retracted until its front end engages the flange of the wheel,"at which time the dog will engage one of the ratchet teeth so that upon the release of the follower the dog will connect the bar with the follower for a forward feed motion.

ln the modified form of my invention shown in Fig.6 the casing is provided in its bottom with a longitudinal slot 29 extending` through its rear end to receive a de pending stem 30 upona U-shaped bracket 31 adjustable longitudinally of the casing, said stem having a nut 32 to clamp the bracket in adjusted position. Arranged within the casing is a follower 533 for feeding the bar of lubricant 0 forwardly, said follower being provided with a stem 34 slidable in openings formed in the arms of the bracket. A coiled spring 35 siufrounds the guided portion of the stem between said arms and bearsI against the rear arm, its forward end being secured to a stop collar 36 on the stem, whereby the follower is pressed forward by the expansion of the spring. W'hen the bar has been fed forward to the limit of movement of the spring after the initial adjustment of the bracket, the bracket may be moved forward to again place the spring under tension for a further feed movement. This form of the invention maybe employed where a simple construction of feed x'nechanism is desired. The'bar 9 used in -connection therewith may be either sheathed or unsheatl'ied, according to requirements.

Having thus described the invention, l claim:-

1. In a lubricator for the flanges of car wheels, a holder for a solid body of l.u bri cant, means for supporting the holder at an oblique angle to the tread face of the wheel to bring the body of lubricant into contact with the face of the flange of the wheel lwithout engaging said tread face, means for holding the body of lubricant yieldingly pressed against the flange, and means vfor vadjusting the holder to vary its angle of inclination.

2. A lubricator for the flanges of car wheels cou'iprising a easing for slidably holding a solid body of luln'icant, springe actuated feeding means carried'by the casing, a supporting bracket, and a coupling f fomiecton between the casing and bracket adaj'wted to permit adjustment of said casing at an angle to the bracket.

3. A lubricator for the flanges of car wheels comprising a casing for slidably holding a solid body of lubricant, springactuate'd feeding means carried b the casing, a supporting bracket, a coup in mem# ber slidably mounted on the bracketo heads upon the casin and bracket, a pivotal connection between t e heads, and means as-` sociated with said pivotal connection .for drawing the heads into lookin engagement.

Al. A Alubricator for the anges of car wheels comprising a casing', a supporting bracket, coupling means connectinfr the casing and bracket adapted t0 permit adjust nient of said casing at different angles laterally to the bracket, a toothed slide movable in the casing, a follower provided with a dog engaging said toothed slide, 'and a spring acting upon said follower. f

5. 'A- lubricator for the flanges of car wheels, comprising a bracket, a liolderfor a solid bar of lubricant, a coupling connection between the bracket and holder adjustable laterally of the bracket to support the holder atan angle to the plane of the .flange of the wheel, and spring-actuated feeding means `carried by' the holder.

(i. A lubricator o f the character described y comprising a casing, a lubricant carrier slidably mounted in the casing and provided with ratchet teeth, a sliding' follower, a dog carried by the follower to engage said y ratchet teeth, a spring for operating the follower, and a plunger yieldingly held by the spring iii engagement with the dog to maintain the latter in operative position.

l7. A lubricator of the character described comprising a' casing, a lubricant carrier slidably mounted in the casing and provided with ratchet teeth, a sliding follower, means for manually retracting the same, a dog carried bythe follower to engage said ratchet teeth, a spring for opeiating the follower,

anda plunger yieldingly held bythe spring in engagement with the dog to maintain the latter in operative position.

8. In a lubricator for the flanges of car wheels, a casing, a lubricant bar mounted in the casing and comprising a body of lubri- 4eatin material and a rack-toothed malleable metalic sheath therefor', and means including a spring-pressed dog acting on said `sheath to feed the bar forward and holdit in yielding 4contact with the flange.

9, In a liibricator for the flanges of car wheels, a supporting element, a holder for a solid bar of "lubricant, a connection between said parts to permit lateral adjustnient of the holder at different angles to the supporting element, and feeding means cai'- ried by the holder.

10. In a lubricator for the flanges of car cking hold the dog wheels a holder, a slidiii bar of lubricant carried thereby, said bar` iaving rack teeth, a follower, a plunger carried b the fol' lower, a pawl yieldingly held by t e plunger ini'enga ement with saidrack teeth, means for feeclging said follower and urging said plunger forward and permitting retraction of the iawl and plunger.

l1. ii a lubricator foi` the flanges of car wheels, a holder, a bar of lubricant slidabl mounted therein and provided with a lon'gitudinal series of rack teeth, a pawl for engaging'said rack teeth to feed the bar forward, and a spring-actuated sliding supporting member carrying said. pawl and adapted to move the sainey forward and permit of a yielding retraction thereof.

.12. In a'lubricator for the flanges of car wheels, a casing, a bar of lubricant slidabl mounted 'therein and lprovided with rac teeth, a follower slidably mounted in the casing, a pivotallymounted pawl carried by the follower to engage said rack teeth, and a spring oj'ierative to move the follower for- .ward and hold the dog in engaging position and to permit yielding retraction of said dog.

"13. ln a lubricator for the flanges of car wheels, a support, a easing laterally adjustf able thereon to different angular positions, means for securing said casing in adjusted position, a baiI of lubricant slidably mounted in the casing and provided with rack teeth, a follower slidably mounted in the casing, a pivotally mounted pawl carried by the '0llower to engage said rack teeth, and a spring operative to move the follower forward an hold the dog in engaging osition and to permit yielding retraction o said dog.

14. ln a lubricator for the flanges of car wheels, a casing, a bar of lubricant slidably los follower to engage said rack teeth, a spring operative to move the follower forward and in engaging-position ad to permit yielding retraction of said do and means for manually retracting the fol ower. '15. In a lubricat'or for the flan es of car wheels, a holder, a rack-toothed ar of lubricant carried bythe holder, a do to engage the rack-toothed bar, a movable support for the dog, and spring means for operatingsaid support to impart feed motion thereto.

. In testimony whereof I affix niy-signature in presence of two witnesses.

` PHILIP CONNIFF. Witnesses A C. C. HiNns, BENNETT S. JoNics. 

